I t's the time of the year to start purchasing back-to-school supplies. But what we are not hearing is that this time-honored ritual will be costing more than it did last year, clearly increasing the financial strain on struggling families. For Long Islanders who have children attending public schools, the question raised is a simple one: With school taxes already high, why aren’t basic classroom supplies included in the annual budget?

Buyers will see a name-brand notebook more than 15% costlier than last year, or school supply packages with less items in the bundle, according to Overhaul, a supply chain risk management company, which noted that basics, like backpacks, lunchboxes, pencils and glue sticks, are imported.

The National Retail Federation predicts families will likely spen

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